Just Desserts
by jackwabbit
Summary: Another evening out with Samantha Carter, woman, NOT Major Carter, Superhero. Sequel or Companion To “Delicious”. Continues the challenge of writing a friend into a story. This one is all for you, too, Beck. Thanks to Sammie for feedback.


**Just Desserts**

Rated: PG-13 for minor language

Category: Pure Fluff

Season: Anytime-O'Neill is a Colonel, Carter is a Major.

Spoilers: None

Summary: Another evening out with Samantha Carter, woman, NOT Major Carter, Superhero.

Note: Sequel/Companion To "Delicious". Continues the challenge of writing a friend into a story. Thanks to Sammie for feedback.

Dedication: This one is all for you, too, Beck. Told you there'd be a sequel eventually.

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Downtime can be a real bitch. I don't really like it. I know it comes as no surprise to most, but I really do get bored just sitting around. It's not that I love messing around in my lab all that much, it just beats the alternative most days. At least I can keep myself occupied there. After all, there's only so much empty television programming I can stand.

But we got lucky today. You managed to break away from the hospital for a while, and I was actually free, too. When you called, asking if I wanted to go out, I nearly declined the offer out of habit, but I'm glad I didn't. It really has been nice having someone around to just hang out with occasionally. No stargates, no not-so-universal constants, no saving the world…it's nice…even if only for a night.

So, here we are again. Going out to eat. The restaurant is crowded tonight, but the wait shouldn't be too bad. At least I hope not. I'm starving.

We talk while we wait, and it's nice to just relax for a bit. Still, I really would like to get some food. When is a table going to get free? Hungry woman here, people, hurry it up!

Suddenly, the host calls out a name that makes me freeze where I'm standing.

"O'Neill! Party of two!"

What? Did I hear that right? Surely there must be another O'Neill here tonight. It's a common name, after all. No way we picked the same restaurant as the Colonel. What are the odds? Besides, this place isn't really his style. And isn't there hockey on tonight?

Wait-what's up with 'party of two'? A date?

My confusion and distress must show, because you shoot me a little look of concern.

"Sam? You ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. It's nothing."

"Sure. Fine. Whatever you say."

I know you're not buying it, and I really don't care for that knowing look in your eyes, but I just can't deal with this right now. If my CO is here, on a date, even though I know I have no right to be bothered by it, I'm really uncomfortable. I'm not really hungry anymore…

Casually, I look around the waiting area, trying to see who answers the call.

Nope, not another O'Neill. A tall, grey-haired, very familiar man, with someone I can't quite see in tow, heads toward the host station. Damn.

"Here." A voice I'd know anywhere. I can't help myself. I stare.

"Sam?"

Huh? What? You call me?

"Sam."

Oh, guess so. "What?"

"You know him?" You nod in the direction of Colonel O'Neill, with a funny mixture of curiosity and worry on your face.

"Um…yeah…sortof…yeah."

The worry becomes more noticeable now. "Got some history I should know about?"

Oh, God, no. I so can't go there right now. It's way too complicated for one night, especially a sober night, with the main complication standing five feet away in a busy restaurant.

The door opens, and a frosty Colorado wind whips through the lobby, bringing a large group of people with it. Everyone is jostled as they try to fit into the warm building.

I'm pushed into a tall, masculine figure.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me." I mumble my apologies before I realize this chest is familiar.

"Carter?" My CO responds with a chuckle of surprise.

Oh, shit. I try to answer as normally as possible. "Sir?"

"Hey, Carter! What're you doing here?"

Trying to avoid this at all costs, of course. "Nothing. Just out to dinner with a friend."

"Me, too. Daniel! Get over here! I found Carter!" The Colonel waves wildly to the mystery person.

Daniel? He's out with Daniel?

"Yeah, Jack, what's up?" Daniel finally comes into full view and I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Daniel. Oh, thank God. That I can handle.

"Look! I found Carter!" Jack beams like he just opened King Tut's tomb.

"Oh, hey, Sam. Hey, Beck." Daniel throws a nod to each of us in greeting.

Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell just happened!?! Did Daniel just saunter over here and call you_Beck_? I happen to know that most people don't call you that! Perhaps there's a little more going on with you two than you've let on, huh? Damn, you're playing it close to the vest.

You go, girl.

"Oh, this your friend, Carter? You two know each other, Daniel?" The look of complete confusion on the Colonel's face is priceless. Daniel answers first, which intrigues me greatly.

"Yeah, we met a while back, in a restaurant, actually…déjà vu…we're…friends."

"Huh." Typical Colonel, back to one word answers.

"Oh, sorry, sir. This is Dr. McKay, a friend of mine from college."

"Cool."

The host has been growing more and more impatient during this exchange and finally can wait no more, so the rest of the introduction gets put on hold as he interrupts as politely as possible.

"Sir? Your table is ready."

We all turn and look at the host as if we had forgotten where we were and that he was there.

Colonel O'Neill recovers fastest. "Oh, right. Ok. Wait! Is there room for four at the table?"

"Well, it is a large booth." The host answers impatiently, glancing at the crowded lobby.

"Would you ladies care to join us? No pressure." Jack offers with a lopsided smile.

Actually, this has all been rather odd for me, and I pretty much just want to hide in a hole, but since there isn't a polite way to get out of it…and simply no way I could resist that grin…

"Sure, why not? You game, Becky?"

You nod your acceptance. "Sure."

So, off we go to eat with Daniel and Jack. Relief that the Colonel isn't on a date is flowing through me like crazy, and my hunger returns. At least we get to eat faster this way.

The evening passes amiably from then on out. The food is good, and we laugh and talk and joke our way through dinner comfortably, despite the occasional too long glance I catch from my CO on the other side of the table.

After a few drinks, which weren't planned but were enjoyed all the same, things are still going smoothly. I'm starting to feel a pleasant warmth all over. A light buzz that's just right. My bladder, however, isn't quite so happy.

"Excuse me, guys. I've got to use the ladies room."

True to form, you jump up with me.

"I've got to go, too. Excuse me, gentlemen. Be right back."

Once safely inside the restroom, I round on you like a hawk after a field mouse.

"What the hell is going on?"

"What are you talking about?"

"With you and Daniel?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please. You know exactly what I mean…what's with 'oh, hey, Beck'? Huh?"

"Nothing. We're friends, that's all."

"Uh huh. And I'm queen of England."

"Oh, whatever, Sam. Besides, who are you to talk? What's with the tall one, huh? I've seen you intentionally NOT looking at him, then looking at him for entirely too long for it to be, um…what's the word? Casual? Innocent? Not that I blame you , but…"

"Shut up, Beck."

"And what's with the 'sir' thing? He from work?"

"Yeah."

"Let me guess. Married?"

"No."

"Off limits for some other reason?"

"You could say that. It's complicated."

"I'll bet."

Your sarcasm isn't lost on me, and I'm about to respond when a loud beeping noise disrupts the quiet of the restroom, which fortunately was deserted for this little talk.

"Oh, hell!" You look at your cel phone and grimace.

"What is it?"

"Text message. I have a few cases in hospital tonight and told the techs to call me if anything came up. You might have noticed I didn't drink tonight, just in case. Looks like they texted me instead. I need to make a phone call. Shit!"

I give you a minute and listen with one ear while thinking about the strange relationship I have with Jack O'Neill. Complicated doesn't even begin to do it justice. Sigh…

When you hang up, I can tell it isn't good news.

"I'm going to have to go back to work and check on a few things."

"That sucks. You want me to go with you?"

"Nah, that's ok. I don't know how long I'll be."

With that, we head back to the guys, who probably are about to send a search team after us.

As expected, the wise cracks start as soon as the Colonel can see us.

"What took you so long? Have to crack a code on the door?"

I give him my best contemptuous look and answer. "Becky got a phone call."

Thankfully, that seems to stump him a bit. "Oh. Damn cel phones. Never get any peace with those things around."

I sympathize with you as you sigh and respond. "I hear that. I'm going to have to go. I'm sorry. Something came up."

If I hadn't been watching, I might have missed it, but since I've been paying attention, I see the briefest flicker of disappointment skitter across Daniel's face at that. Huh. Nothing going on, indeed. Sure, whatever you say, there, _Beck_.

As if reading my thoughts, Daniel chimes in. "Oh. Sorry to hear that. Do you need a ride or anything?"

An ironic offer, in light of the other time the three of us were out to eat. Too bad you drove this time, huh? Your answer is merely resigned. "Nah, but if someone could take Sam home, I'd really appreciate it. I have to head over to the clinic, and I don't know when I'll be done."

Now it's Jack's turn to contribute to the conversation. "No problem. We'll look after it."

"Thanks, guys. It was nice to meet you, Colonel. Bye, Daniel."

With that, you gather your things and take off. Hope the critter is ok.

I turn my attention back to the guys, and we decide to order dessert. Well, ok, Colonel O'Neill decides to order dessert. Daniel and I oblige by ordering up a final drink and letting him have his pie like the child that he is. I swear, he must have the metabolism of a five year old to be able to eat like that. Wish I was so lucky.

Somehow, as dessert and drinks are being downed in rapid order, the conversation turns to crazy drinking stunts done in younger days.

The Colonel has some doozies to tell, and Daniel, while more subdued, has a few stories of his own to bring a laugh or a tear, depending on your outlook.

After one story, I'm laughing uncontrollably, thinking of Jack O'Neill sleeping on a dog bed while a buddy tries to get him up because he's being boring down there on the floor.

Suddenly, my CO looks at me with a predatory grin. I stop laughing.

"What about you, Carter? Surely you had a few misadventures in college. You couldn't have been this good all the time, huh?" Jack is teasing, and I know it. I'm not going to give in.

"Well, I don't know. I never really did anything like that."

Suddenly, Daniel jerks like he just got shocked, and he barely manages to swallow the drink he'd been taking. His face lights up mischievously. "That's not the way I heard it."

At that, my head whips around and I look at Daniel like he just grew a third eye. What the hell is he talking about? How could he know anything about, well, anything?

When I see his smug grin that is threatening to break into an all-out laugh and the smiling twinkle in his eye, I suddenly know that he knows much more about this than I would've ever wanted him to. But how?

Suddenly it hits me.

'Oh, hey, Beck', he said. 'We're friends', you said. There's only one way Daniel could know anything about my sometimes not-so-flattering adventures in college.

Shit.

I am so going to kill you.

The Colonel's eyebrows hit the ceiling briefly, and then he's wearing the same self-satisfied smirk Daniel is modeling. With mock seriousness, he questions Daniel while I try to hide my embarrassment. "Oh, really? And, what, pray tell, do you know about this, Dr. Jackson?"

Daniel's smile gets a little wider and he leans in close to Jack. A teasing look comes my way, Daniel begins with "Well, ya see…", and conspiratorial whispering follows. I hear enough to know I will never hear the end of this.

You are SO lucky you had to leave, but I will get you for this, even if I might have had it coming.

Don't say I didn't warn ya.


End file.
